In this undated photo, a caretaker at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield cleans oil off a bird soiled by a leaky shipwreck that's been sitting on the ocean floor off the Golden Gate Bridge for more than 60 years. less

In this undated photo, a caretaker at International Bird Rescue in Fairfield cleans oil off a bird soiled by a leaky shipwreck that's been sitting on the ocean floor off the Golden Gate Bridge for more than 60 ... more

Photo: Courtesy, International Bird Rescue

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The S.S. Jacob Luckenbach before her collision with the Hawaiian Pilot in 1953.

The S.S. Jacob Luckenbach before her collision with the Hawaiian Pilot in 1953.

Photo: Steamship Historical Society

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

Photo: Wikimedia

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

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The Frank Jones was a cargo ship that shipped goods from Liverpool to New York to San Francisco, and it was at the end of one of those New York-to-San Francisco runs in 1877 that she wrecked. The Frank Jones was being pulled out of port in San Francisco when the rope to the tug boat broke. The Jones tried to anchor in the Golden Gate, but the water was too deep and she was caught in strong winds toward Fort Point.

There, she hit the rocks and her hull began to fill with water. The ship was sold at salvage for $4,750 and stripped of her ware and parts. Efforts to bring her back to shore for repairs were unsuccessful.

The Frank Jones was a cargo ship that shipped goods from Liverpool to New York to San Francisco, and it was at the end of one of those New York-to-San Francisco runs in 1877 that she wrecked. The Frank

One of the great spectacles of 1920s San Francisco was the wreck of the Yosemite, a steamer carrying 25 tons of dynamite. The Yosemite was passing through foggy waters near Point Reyes when she struck the rocks on Feb. 7, 1926. A nearby schooner rescued the crew as water rushed into the Yosemite. The next day, a tug arrived to tow the Yosemite back to San Francisco Bay, but the ship tore free of the tug and smashed on the beach by the Cliff House. less

One of the great spectacles of 1920s San Francisco was the wreck of the Yosemite, a steamer carrying 25 tons of dynamite. The Yosemite was passing through foggy waters near Point Reyes when she struck the rocks ... more

Photo: OpenSFHistory, Wnp4/wnp4.0797.jpg

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

Pieces of the Yosemite washed up all the way to Fleishacker Pool and thousands of looky-loos came to see the wreckage and take home pieces as souvenirs.

Pieces of the Yosemite washed up all the way to Fleishacker Pool and thousands of looky-loos came to see the wreckage and take home pieces as souvenirs.

Photo: OpenSFHistory, Wnp4/wnp4.0820.jpg

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

Seamen are notoriously superstitious, but they weren’t wrong about the Reporter. As the ship left for San Francisco in March 1902, things seemed to be going poorly. For one, they’d left port on Friday, an inauspicious day. Even more ominously, the ship’s black cat jumped overboard, preferring suicide to staying on the surely ill-fated vessel, the cook noted darkly. less

Seamen are notoriously superstitious, but they weren’t wrong about the Reporter. As the ship left for San Francisco in March 1902, things seemed to be going poorly. For one, they’d left port on Friday, an ... more

Photo: OpenSFHistory, Wnp4/wnp4.0034.jpg

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The night of March 13 was foggy, and the captain could only see a light on his starboard. Thinking it was the Point Bonita lighthouse, he kept going; he was wrong. Instead, he’d seen the lights from the Cliff House and his mistake caused the Reporter to run aground at Ocean Beach. The crew was rescued, unlike their very unlucky cat. less

The night of March 13 was foggy, and the captain could only see a light on his starboard. Thinking it was the Point Bonita lighthouse, he kept going; he was wrong. Instead, he’d seen the lights from the Cliff ... more

Photo: OpenSFHistory, Wnp4/wnp4.0898.jpg

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The deadliest shipwreck in the bay’s history occurred on the night of Feb. 22, 1901. The SS City of Rio de Janeiro was passing through the foggy Golden Gate when she suddenly crashed into Fort Point. Within 10 minutes, the Rio had sunk. less

The deadliest shipwreck in the bay’s history occurred on the night of Feb. 22, 1901. The SS City of Rio de Janeiro was passing through the foggy Golden Gate when she suddenly crashed into Fort Point. Within ... more

Photo: Hand Out, Courtesy San Francisco Maritime

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The ship’s passengers were mostly of Chinese and Japanese descent, immigrants asleep in their cabins when disaster struck. Local fishermen responded swiftly to the ship’s distress calls and managed to rescue 82 people, many of whom were clinging to the ship’s wreckage in the cold waters. Of the 210 passengers and crew on board, 128 died that night. Historians refer to the Rio as the “Titanic of the Golden Gate.”

One day in 1916, 95 mile per hour winds whipped through the Golden Gate, capsizing the Aberdeen and taking all eight of its crew down with her. The entire crew perished and the Aberdeen’s wreckage washed up

San Francisco’s famous fog laid waste to another vessel, the tanker Lyman Stewart, in 1922. The Lyman Stewart was launched in 1914 as an oil transport for the Union Oil Company of California. On the day of her last voyage, the Lyman Stewart left San Francisco for Seattle, loaded with oil. The fog was thick, and it obscured visibility and muffled the ship’s whistle. Too late, the Lyman Stewart sighted the freighter Walter A. Luckenbach bearing down on them. less

San Francisco’s famous fog laid waste to another vessel, the tanker Lyman Stewart, in 1922. The Lyman Stewart was launched in 1914 as an oil transport for the Union Oil Company of California. On the day of ... more

Photo: SF Maritime National Historical

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The Luckenbach tore through the port bow of the Lyman Stewart and water started rushing in. Captain Cloyd issued the order to abandon ship, saving the lives of everyone on board, while he piloted the vessel toward the shore. The Lyman Stewart ran aground on the rocks at Lands End, where you can still see the ship’s engine today. less

The Luckenbach tore through the port bow of the Lyman Stewart and water started rushing in. Captain Cloyd issued the order to abandon ship, saving the lives of everyone on board, while he piloted the vessel ... more

Photo: Robert V. Schwemmer Maritime Lib

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

Another oil tanker, the Frank H. Buck, had a similarly dramatic end. The Frank Buck departed San Francisco for Martinez when it was struck head-on by a luxury passenger liner called the President Coolidge.

Another oil tanker, the Frank H. Buck, had a similarly dramatic end. The Frank Buck departed San Francisco for Martinez when it was struck head-on by a luxury passenger liner called the President Coolidge.

Photo: Robert V. Schwemmer Maritime Lib

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

According to an account from NOAA, a lookout at the Marine Exchange station at Lands End "heard the fog horns of both vessels for some minutes before the crash … Then, all of sudden came the crash. Through the heavy fog it sounded like a big, muffled boom of a Presidio gun. At once the Coolidge sent up three short whistle blasts and I knew right away something went wrong, for that was a distress signal. After that there was an awful silence, broken only by buoy horns." less

According to an account from NOAA, a lookout at the Marine Exchange station at Lands End "heard the fog horns of both vessels for some minutes before the crash … Then, all of sudden came the crash. Through ... more

Photo: SF Maritime National Historical

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

Lifeboats were deployed and through the quick assistance of the Coast Guard, all hands were rescued safely.

Lifeboats were deployed and through the quick assistance of the Coast Guard, all hands were rescued safely.

Photo: Robert V. Schwemmer Maritime Lib

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The Golden Fleece was a classic Gold Rush vessel, carrying wares for the burgeoning town (one log shows her carrying five boxes of boiled cabbage and 95 cases of Burton ale, among other things). She was leaving the city for Manila on April 22, 1854 when she was trapped in an eddy and overturned.

Salvage attempts saved most of her reusable parts, but four men drowned when their boat filled with goods capsized. The Golden Fleece was abandoned afterward.

The Golden Fleece was a classic Gold Rush vessel, carrying wares for the burgeoning town (one log shows her carrying five boxes of boiled cabbage and 95 cases of Burton ale, among other things). She was leaving

The S.S. Selja met its end thanks to the negligence of its captain, Olaf Lie, who repeatedly heard the whistle of an oncoming vessel and failed to stop his engines. As the whistling grew louder and louder, the captain continued onward in the thick fog. Suddenly, another ship emerged from the fog and the two ships collided. Two Chinese crew members died in the collision and their bodies were never recovered from the ship.

The wreck of the Selja still lies in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

The S.S. Selja met its end thanks to the negligence of its captain, Olaf Lie, who repeatedly heard the whistle of an oncoming vessel and failed to stop his engines. As the whistling grew louder and louder, the

The King Philip had a tumultuous history even before she was wrecked in San Francisco. Twice, mutinous crew members had set the King Philip aflame, once seriously damaging her bow and forecastle.

The King Philip had a tumultuous history even before she was wrecked in San Francisco. Twice, mutinous crew members had set the King Philip aflame, once seriously damaging her bow and forecastle.

Photo: GIDEON JACQUES DENNY

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

On Jan. 25, 1878, the King Philip left San Francisco for Washington, but trouble struck almost immediately. Her tug left to help the Western Shore, another ship struggling off the coast that day. The King Phillip’s anchors couldn’t hold her down and she was pulled onto Ocean Beach by evening. High on the shore, the tide began ripping the boat apart, a process that was expedited by the salvage crew that bought her. Even well into the 20th century, pieces of the King Philip have been found buried in the sand at Ocean Beach. less

On Jan. 25, 1878, the King Philip left San Francisco for Washington, but trouble struck almost immediately. Her tug left to help the Western Shore, another ship struggling off the coast that day. The King ... more

Photo: Darryl Bush, SFC

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

The City of Chester was less fortunate. On Aug. 22, 1888, she was struck by the massive passenger liner Oceanic, coming into port from Hong Kong. The iron-hulled Oceanic sliced through the City of Chester and her descent was swift — so swift that 24 passengers failed to make it out alive. The remaining passengers were rescued by the crew of the Oceanic, who jumped into the water to save them.

The City of Chester was less fortunate. On Aug. 22, 1888, she was struck by the massive passenger liner Oceanic, coming into port from Hong Kong. The iron-hulled Oceanic sliced through the City of Chester and

The 1853 wreck of the Tennessee, though dramatically portrayed here in the upper left, was actually a great safety success story. The steamship was mired in a heavy fog on March 6 and ended up running aground. The Tennessee was full of passengers — 520 in total — including women and children. The crew was able to safely escort all passengers and their luggage to shore although the ship was not able to be salvaged.

“She was a favorite craft and one of the best sea boats that plowed the Pacific ocean. She was the home, the pride and refuge of her officers and crew, and many a tear as salt as the brine that surrounds her shattered hull has coursed unbidden from manly eyes and sprung up involuntarily from the bold and courageous hearts of those whose pride and delight she was, as they have gazed on the last resting place of the gallant Tennessee,” the Daily Alta California wrote.

The 1853 wreck of the Tennessee, though dramatically portrayed here in the upper left, was actually a great safety success story. The steamship was mired in a heavy fog on March 6 and ended up running aground.

Sometimes disaster strikes silently, as it did for the unfortunate crew of the whaler Atlantic. The Atlantic’s day started out as any other — she was pulled out of the bay by a tug and they parted ways at 4 p.m. on Dec. 16, 1887. Instead of sailing out to sea, the Atlantic found herself treading water as the wind died. For hours, her crew waited for the wind to pick up again. Instead, only the fog enveloped them.

Meanwhile, the waves began to pick up, tossing the helpless Atlantic closer and closer to shore. She began taking on water. Suddenly, a massive wave swept over her decks, carrying some of the crew with it. A lifeboat suffered a similar fate, losing four men to the depths as soon as it was lowered. Records indicate that the Atlantic never sent a distress call; perhaps the chaos had prevented it.

Sometimes disaster strikes silently, as it did for the unfortunate crew of the whaler Atlantic. The Atlantic’s day started out as any other — she was pulled out of the bay by a tug and they parted ways at 4

The SS Ohioan was used as a transport vessel after World War I, bringing American soldiers home from the battlefront. After her war service ended, she was used to transport cargo through the Panama Canal, a career that went peacefully for nearly 20 years.

On Oct. 8, 1936, the Ohioan lit up the night sky when she ran aground near Seal Rock, sending sparks into the darkness. By morning, she was firmly wedged in the rocks. The Coast Guard was sent out to rescue the crew, but there was nothing to be done about the ship. The Ohioan was stuck.

The SS Ohioan was used as a transport vessel after World War I, bringing American soldiers home from the battlefront. After her war service ended, she was used to transport cargo through the Panama Canal, a

On the shore, thousands of spectators came to see the doomed ship, causing a number of injuries. Several women broke ankles in falls and one man died of a heart attack. Police had to be brought in to monitor the cliffs to keep visitors safe. less

On the shore, thousands of spectators came to see the doomed ship, causing a number of injuries. Several women broke ankles in falls and one man died of a heart attack. Police had to be brought in to monitor ... more

Photo: OpenSFHistory, Wnp4/wnp4.1112.jpg

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The shipwrecks of San Francisco Bay

Watchmen were assigned to the ship in the months that followed, one of whom accidentally set the ship on fire. Luckily, the fire was put out before it reached the explosives still on board. In late 1937, a large storm cracked the Ohioan in two, finally freeing it from the rocks. less

Watchmen were assigned to the ship in the months that followed, one of whom accidentally set the ship on fire. Luckily, the fire was put out before it reached the explosives still on board. In late 1937, a ... more

Photo: OpenSFHistory, Wnp4/wnp4.1116.jpg

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Ship that sank more than 60 years ago still causing marine chaos

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The S.S. Jacob Luckenbach sank more then 60 years ago after colliding with another ship 17 miles southwest of the Golden Gate Bridge, but the 469-foot freighter is still posing an environmental hazard from its ocean grave, leaking hundreds of thousands of gallons of bunker oil that has left birds coated in the gunk, officials said Monday.

The sunken ship has been the source of several large oil spills along the Northern California coast since the 1970s, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and it is being blamed for another plague, long after officials believed they had gotten a handle on its spewing cargo.

Nearly a dozen seabirds have turned up coated in oil along the Northern California coast since late last year, and officials have traced the spill to the Luckenbach, which sits under 180 feet of water in what is now the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

“The Luckenbach, unfortunately, is a huge human mistake that continues to taint these beautiful seabirds,” said JD Bergeron, executive director of International Bird Rescue.

“Unfortunately, it’s not surprising,” said Bergeron, whose organization has saved some of the soiled birds and cleaned them up at its center in Fairfield. “There are a lot of sunken ships out there.”

Since December, caretakers at International Bird Rescue have taken in nine distressed and oil-covered birds — a mix of Pacific loons, red-necked grebes, Western grebes, and common murres. All of the birds were found on beaches in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

Of the nine, four have died, Bergeron said. Three have been rehabilitated and released back into the wild, and two are still being cared for at the center.

Ships collide

On July 14, 1953, the Luckenbach collided with another ship while carrying railroad parts to South Korea and sank. The boat was also carrying more than 400,000 gallons of bunker fuel when it went down, and samples taken from the recently recovered birds confirmed the oil came from the freighter, officials said.

Since at least 1973-74, the Luckenbach has been responsible for a major oiling event “every few winters,” the Department of Fish and Wildlife wrote in a report on the wreck. The sunken vessel becomes especially problematic in rough seas when large waves and strong currents cause it to shift on the seafloor.

Leaks from the buried boat killed more than 51,000 birds of 50 species and at least eight sea otters between 1990 and 2003, according to the report.

The company responsible for the ship, the Luckenbach Steamship Co., had long since gone out of business by the time officials pinned blame on the ship, so cleanup responsibility fell to the government.

About 300,000 gallons of oil is thought to have leaked from the vessel over time and, in 2002, the U.S. Coast Guard spent roughly $20 million from the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to offload as much oil as it could. Divers, who had to live in a pressurized chamber for as long as a month, siphoned approximately 100,000 gallons of oil from the freighter to a barge floating on the surface, but because the remaining oil was located in at least 30 different compartments on the vessel, complete removal was impossible, officials said.

The remaining holes in the vessel were said to have been sealed at the end of the cleanup operation, but the boat is obviously leaking again, officials said.

Steve Gonzalez, the spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, said there is still about 29,000 gallons left in the Luckenbach. He said the oil was positively identified as being from the Luckenbach by scientists in the department’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response chemistry laboratory.

Tainted wildlife

“We’re doing what we can do right now,” Gonzalez said. “Any time there is oiled wildlife, we will do what we can to rescue these birds and get them back in the wild.”

He added that all officials can do at this time is monitor the wreck.

“It’s just because the oil is compartmentalized and there were some compartments that they can’t get to, so for safety reasons they just sealed them up as best as they could, but 29,000 gallons was still left onboard,” Gonzalez said. “During times of big ocean currents, big swells and underwater ocean currents, it seems to be the time these oilings happen.”

A number of other projects were instituted to try to offset the environmental damage done by the Luckenbach, including restoration of wildlife habitats along the coast and funding of educational programs for marine pilots and captains who navigate the area.

Bergeron expects more injured birds show up at his rescue center in the coming days.

“The oceans are becoming less and less hospitable for birds and other marine wildlife even without these toxins,” he said in a statement.

Anyone who encounters oiled wildlife should not approach or touch the animals, the center recommended. Instead, the exact location and condition of the animal should be noted and relayed to the experts at the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, who can be reached at (877) 823-6926.